Ella's Twisted Senior Year(10)
I lift my shoulders. “She was rude to Ella Lockhart and I didn’t stick up for her.”
“Ella?” Toby says, recognition dawning in his eyes. We’ve been friends since little league so he’s aware of my past with the girl next door. “Like, the Ella?”
“Dude, it’s not like that. We haven’t been friends in years.”
“But that’s the one you were obsessed with, right? Does Kennedy know?”
“I was not obsessed with her and no, Kennedy doesn’t know.”
He nods. “Good.”
I stop him before he walks back to his car. “Do you think I should break up with her?”
His eyes go wide. “Kennedy? Like you could ever date higher on that totem pole,” he says with a snort. “You should hang onto that as long as you can.”
I scratch my eyebrow. “I’m starting to hate her.”
“But she’s Kennedy Price,” he says as if the legal name on her birth certificate is somehow a legit reason to stay with someone.
I let out a sigh. “Maybe she’ll get over it and be cool again.”
“She will. Just suck up a lot. Buy her a present or something.”
We say our goodbyes and I drive all the way home thinking about Toby’s advice. Sucking up to Kennedy is probably a good way to get back on her good side, but I’m just not sure that’s how a good relationship should work. I shouldn’t be this miserable all of the time.
With the exception of a couple random dates that were more awkward than romantic, I haven’t exactly dated anyone seriously, so this is all new to me. I know real life is nothing like in the movies. If it were, Kennedy would be a hell of a lot nicer to me.
The sun is beginning to set as I turn into my neighborhood, the lake in the center of the road turning orange and yellow. I jam along with the song on the radio and I can’t believe I don’t notice it sooner.
Ella’s freaking house is gone.
I pull over on the side of the road a house down from my own because there’s too many people standing around in the way. My parents aren’t home yet, judging by the empty driveway, but I don’t go inside to check just yet.
My chest aches as I approach the scene. It’s exactly like the stuff you see on TV. Destroyed leftovers from a natural disaster, only this time I am seeing it with my own eyes. I look up at my house, which is only missing a few shingles from the roof. Across the neighborhood, two more homes look worse off than Ella’s, if you can even call it a house anymore. Ella’s house has one remaining wall and part of a roof that’s leaning against said wall.
People are everywhere. I put a hand on my mailbox in an effort to slow everything down. I can’t believe my eyes and for the first time in my life, I’m having trouble understanding what’s in front of me.
The whole time I sat next to Ella in the hallway, while the tornado whirled all around us, ripping her house to shreds, she had no idea. We had no clue how this day would end drastically different from how it started.
My lip begins to bleed and I realize I’m biting down on it too hard. A sob catches my attention and I look down to find Ella right there, crying on the curb between our houses.
“Ella,” I say, moving to her. “Are you okay?”
I drop to my knees and pull her into my arms as she cries. Suddenly I’m back in that closet with her, the storm raging all around us, and I’m telling her it’ll be okay because I’ll keep her safe. Her hair smells like green apple and I can’t believe she still uses the same shampoo after all these years. Only now the brown of her hair has been streaked with highlights of blonde. Her body stiffens beneath my grip.
She pushes me away, palms slamming hard against my chest. “What are you doing?” she says, her beautiful features twisting into a grimace.
“I’m just—” I begin. Another tear falls down her cheek as she glares at me, her chest heaving with each breath. “I’m just making sure you’re okay.”
“That’s none of your business,” she snaps.
I swallow and rub my forehead. “I’m sorry, Ella.”
“You don’t need to be sorry,” she says with a sigh. “Just go away. We’re not friends.”
Chapter 7
I pull the starchy white hotel sheets up to my chin and roll over, facing the window. The movement was supposed to alert my parents to the fact that I am awake and can hear everything they’re saying, but they carry on, oblivious to my existence. Three nights ago when we checked into this one bedroom, two bed hotel room, I’d been creeped out and a little worried about sleeping just two feet away from my parents. I mean, they would know better than to do any adult activities with me around but it was still weird.
Of course, hearing them argue about money was the last fear on my mind yet that’s all they’ve done all weekend. Argue about money and take turns freaking out. Sometimes they freak out at the same time.
I can’t blame Mom for being pissed at Dad right now. He’s the one who let the house insurance lapse three months ago. Apparently things have been tighter than I realized, and my parents’ salaries are barely getting the pills paid. Dad blames Mom’s new Lexus and the rising cost of healthcare and Mom blames Dad’s tendency to order restaurant take out for every meal when she’s at work.